Sightseeing courses

3 hours sightseeing course inside Hirosaki castle town

Course details

Perfect for passengers who wish to enjoy plenty of Hirosaki city.
Enjoy the castle town with an area of one hundred thousand koku spreading from the castle tower in the center, which nearly changes since construction, and Japan’s No.1 apple city Hirosaki.

Introducing sightseeing spots

Saisho-in, Five Storied Pagoda

Points to see

(Important culture property)The third generation feudal lord Nobuyoshi had started construction to provide repose for the people who died in the Tsugaru uniformation regardless of friend and foe. After 11 years of construction it was completed in 1667 by the feudal lord Nobumasa.
On the 3rd year of Heisei, after the 9th typhoon (apple typhoon), on the verge of collapse, the whole surface was taken apart for repair.
It was the 7th large scale repair after construction. In the 15th year of heisei, after 335 years a service for an enshrined Buddhist image to reveal the principle image was held.

Hirosaki apple park

Points to see

Hirosaki is the center of apple production in Japan, and this is the theme for this park.
At the information start up corner “apple house”, you can study about apples while eating and experiencing. There are also souvenir shops which provide more than 1200 items of apple souvenirs.
Also, the homestead and farm machines of farmhouses are displayed. You can come into contact with apples, learn, and even play with apples.
Every year from 5/7～16, an apple flower festival is held.

Information for visitors

emporary closure / over the year-end and the new year December 29 – January 3
Facility open hours / 9:00～17:00, time required 15 minutes～30 minutes
Admission fee / Free
Guide inside the park (reservation needed) time required 30 minutes

Hirosaki city, a city of an apple color, Apple road

Points to see

Hirosaki has the no.1 apple production volume in Japan. You can see apple designs in various places and the town is colored with apples.
Why not head off to find your only apple.
Apples were brought into Japan in 1861～1864(Bunkyu period of the closing days of the Tokugawa regime).
It was first introduced into Hirosaki in 1875 by an American missionary who teached in Touougijuku school, and gave apples to their students on Christmas.
The annual harvesting volume of apples in Hirosaki city is 160 thousand tons. It occupies 20% of the total gross production and is No. 1 in Japan.
In Hirosaki city, 3 million 120 thousand apples trees are planted.
“Apple Road” is the road which runs along this apple field.
In the beginning of May, when the cherry blossoms begin to fall, the apples are rose pink flowers. In summer it is a little apple which bear fruit. In autumn the apples are ripened red. It is just like a scene in the movies to cheerfully pass through here.
The contrast with Mount Iwaki which shows a different face depending on the season is also wonderful.

Zen temple area

Points to see

(Important culture property) After the following year of the construction of Hirosaki castle, the 2nd generation feudal lord, Nobuhira gathered the Zen temples of the Soto sect from the entire Tsugaru to serve as a protective fortress in the back demon’s gate.
As the 33 temples were lined up as forests, it is called Zen temple area.
Even throughout Japan, it is rare that temples of the same religious sect are in the same place.

Chosho-ji

Points to see

(Important culture property) Constructed in 1526. In 1610 as a southwest defense of the Hirosaki castle, it was moved to the current space.
It is a must-see temple where there are graves and mausoleums of the successive liege lords of the Tsugaru family.
The repair of the Mikagedou and Hondou which started in 2005, after 200 years is finished. Currently, a moiety of the back section is under repair.

Hirosaki Local Literature Museum

Points to see

O-temon square, where both modern and historic western style architectures are built is the strongpoint of sightseeing and culture in Hirosaki.
In the back rear of the former local library, 13 houses of mini sized historic structures are displayed which were built in Meiji and Taisho period.
In the local literature museum, you can gather information on Hirosaki and the surrounding Tsugaru area, purchase souvenirs, and taste local cuisine.
You can also check the vacany of the ryokans (japanese style inn) and hotels. This is a spot you would like to stopover at the beginning of your trip.

Information for visitors

Temporary closure / the close of the old year to the start of the new year December 29 – January 3
Open hours / 9:00～18:00 time required 15minuted to 30 minutes
Admission fee free

Hirosaki park

Points to see

Sakura, which stands close to the castle, maples that turn into deep red, fantastic snow hanging lanterns…
The castle walls which remain the same as the past history.
Inside the park of the area of 42.9 ha (half the size of the Imperial Palace) you can see 2600 sakura trees with 50 sorts, 2200 pine trees, 1200 trees of autumn leaves.
One round takes 2 hours, enjoy walking slowly and experience the history.
Even after coming many times and at what time, one’s heart flutters to this wonderful place. It is the symbol of Hirosaki.

Hirosaki castle

Points to see

(Important cultural property) The castle which the Tsugaru feudal lords established after the Tsugaru uniformation. The first feudal lord Tamenobu planned the construction and Nobuhira completed the castle in 1611.
Remaining on the grounds are the castle tower, three turrets, five gates.
In the 22nd year of Heisei, 400 years have passed since construction. In the 23rd year of Heisei, the keep has been moved, and the repair of the stone walls have started.Due to the repair of the stone walls of Hirosaki castle, construction started moving the keep 70m to the inner part. Therefore, the view of the castle is different from the photo. We appreciate your understanding. In the year 2021, the repair of the stone walls is scheduled to end, and the keep will be moved to the former place.

Tsugaru han (clan) Neputa Village

Points to see

An important intangible folk cultural asset which colors a summer night in Hirosaki. Starting with Hirosaki Neputa, you can see the folkcraft of Tsugaru, hear a live preformance of Tsugaru Shamisen (3 stringed instrument). It is a perfect facility where you can see Tsugaru entirely and experience it.
There is a corner which introduces Mount Iwaki.
While looking at the 10m high huge Neputa, you can enjoy the taiko (drums) and shishi (lion) live performance, and listen to the Tsugaru shamisen performance up close. Why not experience the Tsugaru culture.

Information for visitors

Days off / December 31
Open period / April～November /9:00～17:00, December～March/9:00～16:00 time required 30 minutes
Admission fee / Indivisuals 550 yen, Highschool and junior highschool students 350 yen, elementary students 200 yen, children over 3 years old 100 yen

Taxi fees

taxi type

number of people who can ride

charge

number of cars

remarks

reservation and credit card settlements

small size taxi

4 people

11,000 yen

95 cars available

high class taxi

4 people

15,500 yen

4 cars available

Origin, Crown, Alphard, Celsior

jumbo taxi

9 people

16,500 yen

9 cars available

HiAce

small size privately booked bus

21 people

33,000 yen

1 bus available

Liesse II

medium sized privately booked bus

40 people

42,000 yen

2 buses available

Aero ace, Melpha

wheel chair sleeping car

6 people

16,500 yen

6 cars available

2 wheel chair passengers(1sleeping berth possible)+4 people

*JTB Taxi Plus is a service provided by the JTB business innovators.

*Regarding the information and photos of sightseeing spots and facilities on the homepage, we do not guarantee the accuracy, reliability and integrity.

*For details of the sightseeing spots and facilities on our homepage (open hours, admission fee), please confirm on the official homepages respectively.

*Admission fee, entrance fee, the cost of food and drink, parking fee, toll road fee are not included in the charge. Customer must bear the actual expenses.

*If during the ride, customer changes the route or cancels the ride for personal reasons, customer must pay for the calculated amount which is applied by temporality charge from the beginning.

*At the sightseeing spots, if the time is extended under a special contract with the customer, customer must pay for the amount which is applied by temporality charge.

*There may be cases in which the driver is not fluent in English. We appreciate your understanding.

*A sightseeing taxi is a service which we drive you to the sightseeing facilities on our taxi according to the sightseeing courses decided in advance. It is not a service which a travel agency provides, therefore our driver will not provide comment on the sightseeing facilities and guide you. It is possible to drive you to the sightseeing facilities which are not on the sightseeing courses. If you would like to visit optional sightseeing facilities or sightseeing courses, please contact us from the e-mail inquiry form.

Reservations, inquiries about sightseeing taxi

For reservations and inquiries of sightseeing taxi, please contact the following telephone number or e-mail form.TEL: 0172-33-3333